Adrianne Todman is the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She is committed to developing strong communities through affordable housing.
Despite the passage of the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, housing discrimination and inequities persist in America.
Secretary Todman shared her expertise on the housing market, the importance of individuals buying a home, and what people should do if they experience housing discrimination.
As the current deputy secretary of HUD, can you explain why there are still housing inequities?
Well, the Fair Housing Act has been the law of the land for so many decades now, [but] we still have several inequities, several people who are bad actors, and levels of discrimination at historic levels more than we’ve seen. It is a sad fact that the homeownership gap is as wide, if not wider today, as it was when the Fair Housing Act was [initially] passed. It’s one of the reasons the Secretary has charged all of us here at HUD to do everything we can, with all the funding and technical assistance we can, to help the American people.
Why should people buy a home?
Someone’s home creates generational wealth. When I think about the grandparent or the grandmother, who struggled so many decades ago to make sure that her family had the first home, and she’s passed that home on to her son, and her son now lives there. I mean, this is generational wealth-building like no other asset in the American system. So, I think it’s important for everybody to understand that while yes, renting is an option and there is no shame in renting, if you can purchase a home, particularly using the programs that HUD has, we strongly encourage you to do that. The ramification won’t just be your economic well-being but you will be passing that well-being on to your kids, your grandkids, and other generations to come. It’s just a game-changer.
For individuals who feel like they’ve been discriminated against, what can they do?
Never feel helpless. I mean, you’ve got two sisters at the HUD who are here to help you. You know, if you’re going to the HUD’s website and applied for a rental unit, if you try to go to a bank, [and] you are unsuccessful, and you feel that you have been discriminated against, go to HUD’s website. There is help there. We will give you the information you need to file a complaint [and] we will investigate those complaints. We have partners in local cities and nonprofits to help us do that work again. I think it’s important for people to know that you are not alone. If you are feeling helpless, you have hope and you have people here to have your back.
